After imaging cosmic bodies in all spectrums of light that is visible, ultraviolet, infrared and X-Rays, NASA is still not content and wants to try its hands at the only remaining spectrum that is gamma rays.
To image in this spectrum engineers at the space research agency have developed a new observatory that has been named according to the work it performs. The Gamma Ray Large Area Telescope as it is known as is a powerful gamma ray observatory that will be deployed in December.
Once in space the telescope will be a powerful space observatory and will capture more gamma rays than any other space observatory till date.
For now the GLAST is resting in a so called “clean room”. This is a special room developed by NASA to store all its high tech equipments. This room is free from contaminants and environmental pollutants so that the equipment placed in the room does not suffer any damage from these contaminants and pollutants.
The observatory will remain in this “clean room” till the time it is transferred to the launch pad, which will be late this year.
Once GLAST is finally into orbit it will be the most powerful and sensitive gamma ray observatory ever launched. The observatory will also be able to gather photons that contain hundreds of billions of more energy than we perceive with our eyes.
Unlike traditional telescopes GLAST does not depend on a mirror to focus, it will actually orbit the Earth every 95 minutes and image most of the sky 16 times in a day.
We wish everyone associated with the project a very best of luck for their mission…!
Via: Universetoday
